LEPUS. 
01 
tainous situations. Tt feeds principal! v b\ 
night, and remains concealed during’ the 
day in its form, beneath Some bush, or slight 
shelter. 
The swiftness of this animal is proverbial, 
and on account of the conformation of. its 
legs, the hinder of which are longer than the 
fore, it is observed to run to most advantage 
on slightly ascending ground. 
The hare is a very prolific animal, gene- 
rally producing three or four young at a 
ti ne, and breeding several times in a year. 
The young require the assistance of the pa- 
rent but for a short time, and in about three 
weeks are able to provide for themselves; 
they do not remove to any great distance 
from each other, but continue in the same 
neighbourhood for a considerable time. The 
hare feeds on various vegetables, but is ob- 
served to prefer those of a milky and succulent 
quality. It also occasionally feeds on the bark 
of trees, as well as on the young shoots of 
various shrubs, &c. 
The nature of the soil in which the hare 
resides and feeds, is observed to influence in 
a considerable degree the colour and consti- 
tution of the animal. Those which feed in 
elevated situations are larger and darker 
than those which reside in the plains. 
The hare is an animal proverbially timid, 
and flies, if disturbed when feeding by the 
slightest alarm ; but when seated in its form, 
will allow itself to be approached so near as 
to be reached by a stick ; seeming to be 
fascinated by fear, and instead of endeavour- 
ing to fly, continuing to squat immoveable, 
with its eyes fixed on its enemy. It is ne- 
cessary, however, in order to conduct this 
manoeuvre, to approach in a gradual and 
circling manner. 
The hare, though so nearly allied to the 
rabbit as to make the general descriptive 
distinction not very easy, is yet of different 
habits and propensities, and never associates 
v ith the latter animal. If taken very young, 
the hare may be successfully tamed, and in 
that state shews a considerable degree of at- 
tachment to its benefactors, though it con- 
tinues shy to those whose presence it ha< not 
been accustomed to. Mr. White, in his 
History of Selbourne, relates an instance 
which happened in that village, of a young 
leveret suckled and nursed by a cat, which 
received it very eaj^y under her protection, 
and continued to guard it with maternal so- 
licitude till it was grown to a considerable 
size. 
A most singular variety of this animal is 
sometimes found, which is furnished with 
rough and slightly branched horns, bearing a 
considerable resemblance to those of a roe- 
buck. This particularity, as strange as it is 
uncommon, seems to imply a kind of indis- 
tinct approach in this animal to the order 
pecora. 
The hare is a short lived animal, and is 
supposed rarely to exceed the term of seven 
©r eight years. 
It may be proper to add, that in very se- 
vere winters, and especially in those of the 
more northern regions, the hare becomes 
entirely white, in which state it is liable to be 
mistaken for the following species. 
2. Lepus variabilis, varying hare. This 
species is an inhabitant of the loftiest alpine 
tracts in the northern regions of the globe ; 
occurring in Norway, Lapland, Eussia, Si- 
beria, and Kamtschatka ; and in our own 
island on the alps of Scotland. The same 
species is also found to extend to America, 
appearing in some parts of Canada, in its 
general appearance it bears an extreme re- 
semblance to the common hare, but is of 
smaller size, and has shorter ears and more 
blender legs. Its colour in s miner is a 
tawny grey ; in winter entirely white, except 
the tips of the ears, which aie black; the 
soles of the feet are also black, but are very 
thickly covered with a yellowish fur. This 
animal is observed to confine itsell altogether 
to elevated situations, and never to descend 
into the plains, or to mix with the common 
hare. The change of colour commences in 
the month of September, and the grey or 
summer coat reappears in April; but in the 
very severe climate of Siberia it continues 
white all the year round. It has been some- 
times found entirely coal-black, a variety 
which is also known to take place occasion- 
ally in the common hare. The varying hare 
sometimes migrates in order to obtain food 
in severe seasons. Troops of live or six 
hundred have been seen to quit in this man- 
ner the frozen hills of Siberia, and to descend 
into the plains and woody districts, from 
which they again return in spring to the 
mountains. 
3. Lepus Americanus, American hare. 
This animal is not much superior in size to 
a rabbit, measuring about eighteen inches. 
Its colour nearly resembles that of the com- 
mon hare, to which it seems much allied : 
but the fore legs are shorter, and the hind 
ones longer in proportion. The belly is 
white ; the tail black above and white be- 
neath; the ears tipped with grey', and the 
legs of a pale-ferruginous colour. It is said 
to inhabit all parts of North America; and 
in the more temperate regions retains its co- 
lour all the year round, but in the colder 
parts becomes white in winter, when the fur 
grows extremely long and silvery; the edges 
of the ears alone retaining their former co- 
lour. It is said to be extremely common at 
Hud ion’s Bay, where it is considered as a 
highly useful article of food. It breeds once 
or twice a year, producing from five to seven 
at a time. It is not of a migratory nature, 
but always continues to haunt the same places, 
taking occasional refuge under the roots of 
trees, or in the hollows near their roots. 
4. Lepus cuniculus, rabbit. The rabbit 
bears a very strong general resemblance to 
the hare, but is considerably smaller, and 
its fore feet are furnished with sharper and 
longer claws in proportion ; thus enabling 
it to burrow in the ground, and to form con- 
venient retreats, in which it conceals by day, 
and like the hare, comes out chiefly by night 
and during the early part of the morning to 
feed. Its colour, in the wild-state, is a dusky 
brown, paler or whitish on the under parts, 
and the tail is black above and white below. 
In a domestic state the animal varies into 
black, black-and-white, silver-grey, peifeclly 
white, Sc c. 
The rabbit is a native of most of the tem- 
perate and warmer parts of the old continent 
hut is not found in the northern regions, and 
is not originally a native of Britain, but was 
Introduced from other countries. Its general 
residence is in dry, chalky, or gravelly soils, 
in which it can conveniently .burrow* It is 
so prolific an animal that it has been known 
to breed seven times in a year, and to pro- 
duce no less than eight young each time. 
It is therefore not surprising, that in some 
countries- it has been considered as a kind of 
calamity , and that various arts of extirpation 
haye been practised against it. 
5. Lepus viscaccia. This species is 
said to have the general appearance of a 
rabbit, but has a long bushy anil bristly tail, 
like that of a fox, which the animal also re- 
sembles in colour; the fur on all parts, ex- 
cept the tail, is soft, and is used by the Pe- 
ruvians in the manufacture of h -ts ; it was 
also used by the ancient Peruvians for the 
fabric of garments, worn only by persons of 
distinction. In its manners this animal re- 
sembles the rabbit, burrowing under ground, 
and forming a double mansion, in the upper 
of which it deposits its provisions, and sleeps 
in the other. It appears chiefly by night, 
and is said to defend itself when attacked by 
striking with its tail. 
6. Lepus alpinus, alpine hare. This is a 
very' different species from the alpine hare 
described by Mr. Pennant in the British 
Zoology,- which is no other Ilian the varying 
hare. The alpine hare is a far smaller ani- 
mal, scarcely exceeding a guinea-pig (eavia 
eobaya) in size, and measuring only nine 
inches in length. Its colour is a bright fer- 
ruginous grey, paler beneath; the head is 
long, and the ears short, broad, and rounded. 
See Plate Nat. Hist. fig. 24o. It appears to 
have been first described by' Dr. Pallas, who- 
informs 'us that it is a native of the Altaic, 
mountains, and* extends to the Lake Baikal, 
and even to Kamtschatka, inhabiting rough- 
woody tracts amidst rocks and cataracts, and 
forming burrows beneath the rocks, or in- 
habiting the natural fissures, and dwelling 
sometimes singly, and sometimes two or three 
together. In their manners- they creallv 
resemble some of he marmots or hamsters; 
preparing, during the* autumn, a plonthul as- 
sortment of the finest herbs and grasses, which- 
they collect in company, and after dry ngr 
with great care in the sun, di-poie into heaps 
of very considerable size, for th ir winter 
support ; and which may always he distin- 
guished, even through the deep snow, having 
the appearance of somany hay ricks in minia- 
ture, and being often several feet in height 
and breadthi The alpine hare varies in 
size according to the different regions in 
which it is found, being largest about the 
Altaic mountains, and smaller about Lake 
Baikal, See. 
7. Lepus ogotona, ogotona hare. This 
animal, says Dr. Pallas, is called by the Mon- 
golians by the name of ogotona, and is an 
inhabitant of rocky mountains, or sandy 
plains, burrowing under the soil, or conceal- 
ing itself under heaps of stones, and forming 
a soft nest at no great depth from the sur- 
■ace.. It wanders about chiefly by night, and 
sometimes appeal's by day, especially in 
cloudy weather In autumn it collects heaps 
of various vegetables lor its winter food, in. 
the same manner as the alpine hare before 
described, disposing them into neat hemi- 
spherical heaps of about a foot in diameter. 
These heaps are prepared in the month of 
September, and are entirely consumed by 
the end of winter.. 
The ogotona hare is about six inches or 
somewhat more in length, and is of a pule- 
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